Hazardous Twists
by SixEcho
Summary: An unexpected series of events throws Lex and Chloe into a hilariously dangerous situation, and this time Clark isn’t around to help. *Complete*
1. Pink

Title: Hazardous Twists  
  
Summary: An unexpected series of events throws Lex and Chloe into a dangerous situation, and this time Clark isn't around to help.  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Chapter 1: Pink  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chloe clutched the steering wheel tightly, her eyes peering through the dense fog that had setteled after the tornado had dissipated.  
  
"This is all Clarks fault!" Chloe said to herself, "If it wasn't for him I wouldn't be alone, driving down the highway in this stupid pink dress, wearing this stupid pink corsage, talking to myself!" The gas pedal felt the effects of her anger.  
  
"I don't even like pink! What was I thinking?" Despite the brewing thunder storm, Chloe had stormed out of the gym once the tornado had vanished. She still couldn't believe Clark had dumped her on one of the most important occasions of her life. She didn't want to see him for at least a couple weeks.  
  
"Not that he even notices I exist when Lana is within a 5 mile radius. Why do I always fall for guys who will never love me? First there was Steven in grade 3, but he only went out with me because he wanted my lunch money. Mario was an exchange student, Philip turned out to be gay, Todd wanted to suck out my heat supply and now there's Clark... who's in love with someone else."  
  
Chloe frowned, but then a thought crossed her mind... what if she was falling for guys she could never have on purpose? This way she'd never have to have a serious relationship with anyone... Well all that was going to change right now!  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Lex strode out of the hospital, feeling worse than he had going in. The doctor had advised him to stay over night for observation, but he wasn't prepared to hang around there all night. He gingerly fingered the bandage above his right eyebrow and noted the red blood stain on the front of his shirt.  
  
"Perfect." he said to himself, getting into his car.  
  
Lex replayed the evening's events in his mind. Why wasn't he more worried about his father? Lionel Luther lay in the hospital and had shown no signs of consciousness, but that didn't seem to bother Lex very much. If anything he felt momentarily free from the name Luthor. Lex started his car and floored the pedal, speeding down the main road, back to his estate. Anything to feel alive.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"I'm through falling for guys I can never have!" Chloe stated, smiling to herself. "No more exchange students, gay guys, guys who want my lunch money or guys who are already in love."  
  
Pleased with her latest epiphany, Chloe turned the radio on, trying in vain to pick up a signal.  
  
"Come on, work!" She ordered the piece of machinery, taking her eyes off the road for a second to tune it. Suddenly out of nowhere a rabbit blundered onto the road. Chloe swerved to the left to avoid the creature... and instead collided into an oncoming vehicle with a screech of metal.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chloe groaned and crawled out of her wrecked car. Her father was going to kill her... her father was going to ground her, then kill her. She got up shakily and took in the sight. The two cars were in a twisted heap of metal, it was amazing that she wasn't killed. Chloe looked around for the other driver, then with a feeling of dread, realised that the other person was still in the car.  
  
"Hey? Are you okay? Don't worry... I'm going to get you out!" She called, peering through the damage. The other car's passenger door fell off with a little heave and Chloe crawled inside. She felt somebody's shirt and carefully checked for a pulse. It was fairly strong, the person was probably just stunned.  
  
"Chloe Sullivan, investigative reporter and heroine to the rescue... that has a nice ring to it." She said, dragging the person out of the car. She turned him over felt her jaw drop.  
  
"Lex Luthor?" Chloe drew back, "Oh my God! I killed Lex Luther! Lionel Luther is going to hunt down me and my family!" After several moments of sheer panic, she calmed herself. His pulse was still strong, but she needed to wake him from his daze. Chloe leaned over Lex, gripped his collar and pulled him up to her eye level.  
  
"Lex? It's me Chloe... wake up!" She started to worry, and shook him by his collar, "Lex? Get up, dammit! Lex? LEX!?"  
  
"Ugh..." Lex groaned, "Stop the yelling..."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Please Review? Should I write more? 


	2. 50% goes to the Bunny

Chapter 2: 50% goes to the Bunny  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Lex! You're alive! Are you okay?" Chloe moved closer to him, studying his face intensely.  
  
He slowly opened his eyes and waited as they focused onto the person in front of him...  
  
"aaahhh!" Lex yelled.  
  
"What? Relax, It's me, Chloe!"  
  
"Chloe? What the-" Lex realised who she was and immediately felt embarrassed.  
  
"Who the heck did you think I was?"  
  
Lex groaned and lay back onto the ground, "Well... with your mascara all runny and your hair all dishevelled..."  
  
"Not very flattering, but do continue"  
  
"Well, you looked like the villain from 'Warrior Angel'."  
  
Chloe didn't know whether to feel insulted or laugh. She voted for the latter.  
  
"When you decide to stop laughing, I'd like to know why you decided to collide into my car?" Lex asked seriously, trying to conserve what was left of his dignity.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Lex, but I had to swerve, you see there was this bunny and-"  
  
"What?!" Lex stated incredulous, "Are you telling me that you chose to hit me instead of the bunny?? My life means less than a bunny to you?"  
  
"No! Not at all, your life is very important to me!" Chloe rushed.  
  
Lex smiled, satisfied with her reply. He hauled himself off the ground and dusted himelf off.  
  
Chloe blushed a little, "That came out wrong... What I meant was what would Smallville do without it's resident millionare to read about in newspapers?"  
  
"Always a pleasure to provide the people of Smallville with a little extra gossip to read about." He gave Chloe a hand up and they surveyed the damage together.  
  
Chloe started uncomfortably, "About you car... I'm sure over a couple of lifetimes I could pay for-"  
  
"Don't even go there," Lex said shaking his head, he didn't want Chloe taking full responsibility for what happened.  
  
"The truth is this accident was probably half my fault anyway. My mind was in a million places, not including the road... besides I was going way too fast for my own good."  
  
"I wouldn't say it was half your fault... It was 10% yours, 40% mine and 50% goes to the bunny." Chloe said seriously.  
  
"No way! 30% mine and 20% yours," Lex argued, just as serious.  
  
"26% mine and 24% yours, that's my final offer."  
  
"Done! You drive a hard bargain Ms Sullivan... oh, and I don't want you to worry about your car, I'll take care that too." Who said chivalry was dead?  
  
"Sorry, I can't let you do that. I'll have to pay for it myself." She hated it when people did her favours.  
  
"Nonsense, It's no trouble at all."  
  
"No, but thanks for the offer."  
  
"It's the least I can do." Lex stated, taking out his cell phone. So much for his chivalry...  
  
"I said no! Why are you so persistent?" Chloe said exasperated.  
  
"Why are you so stubborn?" Lex challenged. There was a pause. "Fine, we can talk about this later, we should try getting out of this storm... now." he tried picking up a signal on his cell.  
  
Chloe found her purse and did the same with her phone. "It's useless, I think we're too far away from anywhere, and the storm's probably causing some disturbance."  
  
"I paid $500 dollars for a service provider that offers global coverage and this is what I get?" Lex yelled frustrated and threw his cell phone onto the ground before thinking. He groaned inwardly, he'd probably just confirmed Chloe's suspicion of him being a spoiled rich guy.  
  
"Woah there, take deep breaths." Chloe said grinning. Did Lex look hot when he was angry, or was the storm clouding her mind?  
  
"I'm sorry, but if nobody's noticed, I'm having a bad day. My office was destroyed, I managed to be in two potentially fatal accidents, trash my car and destroyed my cell phone."  
  
"Well, anyone else would call you lucky! I mean you came out of the car crash and a tornado barely unharmed."  
  
"Barely unharmed? Tell that to the bloody gash above my eye and my three broken ribs." Lex said with a slight smile clutching his side with mock pain.  
  
"Who knew the Luthors were so melodramatic? Is your dad-" Chloe tensed for a second, "Oh my God! You dad! He's going to be so mad when he finds out that I almost killed his son!" Chloe started to panic again.  
  
Lex was surprised at her sudden change of mood. Why did his father instill this kind of fear in people? He stepped closer to her and placed his hands on her shoulders.  
  
"Listen to me, my father isn't going to do anything to you, even if he wasn't in a coma, I doubt that he'd even care that-"  
  
"Your father's in a coma?" Chloe asked surprised.  
  
Lex dropped his hands and stepped back quickly. Great going... he'd let the story slip... to a reporter.  
  
Chloe was confused at his reaction, then it dawned on her, "You know I'm not always after stories for the newspaper, sometimes I talk to people for the sake of conversation."  
  
Lex mentally kicked himself for insulting her like that, "It's just that this issue is very... sensitive. I'd rather not talk about it..."  
  
"with a reporter?" Chloe sighed.  
  
"With anyone." Lex stated.  
  
Suddenly Chloe didn't feel like standing outside in the middle of nowhere in the cold, talking to Lex Luthor.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Please review? How am I doing? 


	3. Imaginary Lines

Oops, the guys name in 'Cool' was Sean. not Todd. But I mean Sean and Todd are very similar names, right? *cough*. Thank you to all you guys who reviewed!  
  
Chapter 3: Imaginary Lines  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chloe noted the overcast skies and pondered their situation. What the hell were they going to do?  
  
"Maybe a car will drive by? We could get a ride?" she thought out loud.  
  
"This road is hardly used, and with the severe storm warning only an fool would drive down-" Lex paused.  
  
Chloe gave him a slight grin, "Well, I'm glad we're not fools then."  
  
Suddenly there was a thunderous burst in the sky and a bolt of lightning touched down to a nearby field.  
  
Chloe jumped at the sound and backed away from the road, "We really have to get out of here," She shivered, mostly out of fear than from the rain that had begun to fall.  
  
Lex mentally kicked himself, he hadn't realised how cold it had gotten. Promptly, he removed his jacket and wrapped it around Chloe's shoulders.  
  
"Thanks," Chloe said hugging the jacket closer and watched the rain fall onto it, ruining the finish. "We can add the jacket to the list of your belongings that I've destroyed today."  
  
"I wouldn't have them destroyed by any other hand, but yours," Lex said smiling. What was wrong with him? Why was acting like the nice guy? Another bolt of lightning made Lex spring into action, it was time to be a man and take control of the situation.  
  
"We have to find shelter." he stated. He looked around and saw a massive tree and headed for it. It might be a good place to be till the storm blew over.  
  
"Lex wait!" Chloe said, catching up to him in her high heels. "I remember something about trees and lightning." She said trying hard to remember her physics lessons. "There was something about lighting striking tall objects like trees... so in a storm, the safest place would be in a car... they have rubber tyres which, uh do something... ugh! I wish I'd paid attention in my physics classes!"  
  
"I wish I had *gone* to my physics classes." Lex said thoroughly humiliated, so much for being a man and taking control... "I didn't know you were quite the genius, Chloe."  
  
"I have my moments, some even consider me an intellectual-" she said condescendingly, just before stepping into a giant puddle of muddy water.  
  
Lex coughed to cover his laugh, but didn't succeed. "I can see why they'd call you an intellectual."  
  
Chloe's eyes closed in on Lex, "You better not be laughing at me." Before Chloe herself could laugh at her predicament, she covered with a furious, unwavering stare at Lex.  
  
Lex's smirk vanished and he became genuinely worried that he'd hurt her. Quickly moving to her side, Lex offered his hand to her, "I'm so sorry, it was extremely rude of me to- aaahhh!"  
  
Chloe's quick tug had made Lex loose his footing and he slipped into the murky water. Lex sat up in the mud, stunned, then looked up at Chloe's triumphant grin.  
  
"So... you think this is funny?" Lex asked and then heard Chloe's shriek as he tackled her legs. The millionaire and the reporter sat in the puddle laughing, wondering where their matureness had vanished to.  
  
Lex got up first with a whole lot of effort and looked down at his clothes. "Did you know that this outfit was an Armani original?"  
  
"Really? Well, you got scammed, I bought my dad one exactly like that from the discount store last week." Chloe said trying to get up too, but the suction caught onto her shoe and her bare foot emerged from the murky depths, throwing her off balance.  
  
"Easy there." Lex said catching her by her waist.  
  
"M-my shoe..." Chloe said, trying desperately not to notice how close Lex was to her.  
  
"Leave it, come back to the car, it's not safe out here." he said, not releasing his grip on her.  
  
"But... my shoe." Those were the only words her brain could formulate under the current conditions.  
  
Lex pulled her a little closer, frowning, "Do you want me to haul you back there myself?"  
  
"No!" Chloe gave a reflex answer. The truth was that Lex could haul her all the way back to Smallville if he wanted to...  
  
*Damn* Lex thought to himself, reluctantly drawing away from Chloe. Why wouldn't she let him help her? He just wanted to get her back to the car... it had nothing to do with her lively smile or her strikingly beautiful eyes...  
  
Chloe hobbled onwards with one shoe, refusing any assistance from Lex. She couldn't be falling for Lex, right? He was everything she had told herself that she wouldn't fall for... he was just another guy she could never have. Besides, didn't Lex date supermodels and rich people's daughters? Good thing she'd realised it before she became attached to Lex and his charms... and his alluring smiles... and his- "Dammit!" Chloe scolded herself out loud.  
  
"What's wrong?" Lex asked concerned.  
  
"It's nothing, it's just really late, and I need some rest" Chloe lied as they approached the wreckage again. The two cars had spun well off the road and were adjacent to eachother. "I'll be in the backseat of my car... it's barely damaged."  
  
"Alright," Lex said, heading over to his own car... then he realised that his two-seat convertible Porsche didn't have a backseat and the front was totally smashed.  
  
"Hey Lex? You could sleep back here too if you want." Chloe said, noticing predicament.  
  
"Are you sure?" Lex asked climbing into the backseat of her car too.  
  
"Of course, I'm not going to let you sit out there in the rain." Chloe said smiling. She could handle being in the same car as Lex.  
  
"So... how do you know I won't try anything?" Lex asked teasingly, leaning over to her till her back was pressed against the window. For some reason Chloe brought out the more playful side of him that he'd tried his best to bury.  
  
Chloe gulped, maybe this was going to be harder than she thought. She lightly shoved Lex to the other side of the car; then drew an imaginary line down the middle of the seat with her finger, "My side... and your side, got it?"  
  
"Yep," Lex grinned kicking of his shoes and trying to get comfortable. "Bye the way, how was that school dance everyone was so excited about? Didn't you go with Clark?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Please Review?!???!?? 


	4. Cold Feet

Chapter 4: Cold Feet  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chloe groaned and shut her eyes. She'd almost forgotten about the embarrassment of being left alone at the dance by one of her best friends.  
  
"It went that well, huh? Come on, tell me about it." Lex lay back in anticipation.  
  
"Well, you know I went with Clark?"  
  
"Uh, yeah... as friends, right?"  
  
Chloe gave a little cough, "Well, uh, I was kinda hoping for a little more but in the middle of my favourite song, the most perfect moment of the dance, he walked out on me..."  
  
Lex sighed inwardly, so Chloe had feelings for Clark? He'd suspected it, but Clark had never said anything about it, "That doesn't sound like something Clark would do, I'm sure he had a good excuse for-"  
  
"Hey! Whose side are you on?" Chloe interrupted, frowning.  
  
"Uh... yours?"  
  
"Good answer. Anyway, he did have a semi-good excuse. His Spidey senses were tingling and he thought Lana was in danger, he had to do the hero thing and save her..." Chloe sighed.  
  
"Clark's spidey senses were fairly accurate. I saw Lana in the hospital," Lex stated, "I assumed you knew?"  
  
"What happened? Is she okay?" Chloe asked frowning.  
  
"Well, she was sleeping and they wouldn't let me see her. The nurse told me that she was doing fine, and that she was brought in by some guy... Clark I presume."  
  
"And so the pieces fall together." Chloe said with a half smile, "At least Clark dumped me for a good reason. That's why I left the dance and went for a drive during a storm, even after Pete warned me not to."  
  
Lex frowned and watched the rain fall onto the window. "Do you love him?"  
  
"Who? Pete?!"  
  
"No..." Lex looked at her confused, "I was talking about Clark."  
  
"I thought we had something... but I guess I got friendship confused with love. Clark totally loves Lana, they have the whole tortured souls vibe going." Chloe paused wondering if she should share her epiphany with Lex... why not?  
  
"I've finally realised what my problem with guys is."  
  
"What's that?" Lex asked raising his eyebrows. He was relieved that Chloe wasn't madly in love with Clark, any idiot could tell that Clark was all wrong for her. Not that *he* would ever make a move on Chloe, there were just too many obstacles...  
  
"Well, I date guys who I could never have. I have to stop doing that, I need to find a guy who's on the same wavelength as me." Chloe explained. For some reason she found it comfortable to talk to Lex. He wasn't insecure when discussing relationships like the idiots she'd dated... not that she was thinking about dating Lex.  
  
"Interesting... so your previous relationships never worked out because..." Lex paused for an answer.  
  
"I don't know," Chloe sighed, "Maybe I just wasn't smart enough or pretty enough, or good enough for them." she looked down at her dress and smoothed it out.  
  
"Or maybe it's because those morons were intimidated by your intelligence, beauty and passion," Lex stated, then became extremely embarrassed when Chloe smiled up at him.  
  
"But hey, what do I know? Maybe they won't date you because you're a bad kisser."  
  
Chloe glared at him, then gave him a sharp punch him in the arm.  
  
"I'm a great kisser!" she said defensively, her eyes grew larger as Lex gave her a wicked grin. That *wasn't* a smart thing to say when you're trapped in a car with an incredibly hot guy...  
  
"Oh really...?" Lex held his breath. What the hell was he doing? Lex told himself to back away, but his body had ceased all communication with his brain...He felt like some crazed hormonal 15 year old kid... he had to stop hanging around Clark.  
  
Lex was so close, she could feel his breath on her face. A hand silently slid around her waist, which caused a reflex reaction in Chloe... her knee shot upwards and struck Lex in a sensitive region.  
  
Lex swore and backed away sharply, giving a Chloe a what-the-hell-did-you- do-that-for look.  
  
"Oh my God! I'm sorry, are you okay?" Chloe asked, hoping Lex wouldn't notice how flushed she was. "Let's just hope the future Lex juniors aren't brain damaged." She joked lightly.  
  
"The future Lex juniors will be just fine, thank you very much! You know most of my bruises were caused by you and not by the accident. I never knew you liked it rough, Chloe..."  
  
Chloe ignored his comment, she wouldn't let him spur her on. "Do you not remember the *your side, my side* agreement we made a few minutes ago..? If you can think back that far?"  
  
"Ouch... you almost hurt my feelings!" Her threatening glare warned him to back down. He was being intimidated by a small blonde woman... wouldn't Dad be proud? "Fine, you win. I promise to stay on my side. I give you my word." he said holding his right hand up to his chest.  
  
"Yeah, we all know that Luthor's keep their word," Chloe said sarcastically, then immediately regretted it.  
  
A shadow of hurt past over his face and then it was gone. "Goodnight, Chloe." he said, giving her a small smile. He leaned against the other window and trying to find an appropriate place for his legs.  
  
"Lex I-" she stopped, there was no point in apologizing now, "Goodnight Lex."  
  
*Silence*  
  
"Lex? Are you awake?"  
  
"Hrmphh... well I am now,"  
  
"The car won't explode on us, right?"  
  
"I checked the engines earlier, the car won't explode."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"I know cars, and these two won't explode. Now *please* go to sleep."  
  
*Silence*  
  
"Lex?"  
  
*Silence*  
  
"LEX!?"  
  
"Wha-? Huh? What's wrong now, Chloe?"  
  
"Your feet are cold."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Please Review! Ps. Sorry if this was a little long 


	5. Who the Hell is Michael?

Chapter 5: Who the Hell is Michael?  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Lex woke up to the sun's warmth beating down on his face, then he noticed he wasn't alone, a petite body curled up to his. Chloe Sullivan. She was sleeping against his chest and had his shoulder pinned to the back seat in a very uncomfortable position. Lex didn't even think of moving. Slowly the previous day's events came flooding back to him. The tornado, his office, the hospital, Chloe, the car accident, his father....  
  
Lex sighed and checked his watch that had stopped working, "That's just perfect." he mumbled trying to stretch his legs without waking Chloe. He looked down at her, feeling an overwhelming sense of... what *was* it that he was feeling anyway?  
  
"Chloe?" he whispered in her ear. "Sullivan? Your on my side of the seat."  
  
"Hrmphh," Chloe stated moving her face up to Lex's neck.  
  
Lex's heart was beating so hard, he was sure she would wake from the sound... but she didn't.  
  
"Mike...?" Chloe mumbled. "Michael!" She called a little harder in her sleep.  
  
Lex frowned and looked back down at her. "Who the hell is Michael?!" he asked a little too loudly.  
  
Chloe snorted and reached over Lex's chest, feeling for something. Her hand found Lex's free arm and she gripped onto it, pulling it closer to her face and hugging it. Chloe sighed contently, "I love you Michael..."  
  
After several agonizing minutes of wondering who Michael was and having both his arms pinned under Chloe, Lex finally noticed her stir.  
  
Chloe moved her face closer up to Lex's and he held his breath as her eyes fluttered open. She looked so beautiful... so peaceful... so-  
  
"Ahhhhhhh!" Chloe shrieked when she saw Lex and jerked back away from him, banging her head into the car's ceiling. Screaming hysterically she opened the passenger door, burst outside onto the ground.  
  
Lex made a grab for her before she could hurt herself, but only managed to rip a small piece of her dress off. He swore loudly. This wasn't the usual reaction he got from women the morning after..  
  
Lex stumbled out of the car after the hysterical reporter, "Chloe, dammit, stop yell-" Lex stopped when he saw Clark standing protectively over Chloe, who was sprawled on the ground with a bleeding forehead from banging it when she woke up.  
  
Clark's eyes narrowed on the piece of Chloe's dress that Lex was holding.  
  
"Clark, trust me, it's not what it looks like."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Clark walked up and down hospital hallway, waiting for one of them to wake up. He'd been just about ready to kill Lex when he'd seen him coming after a screaming Chloe. Thank God she'd suddenly come around and jumped in front of Lex before Clark made a move. Clark sighed. Mr Sullivan had been delayed in Metropolis, Pete was nowhere to be found, Whitney was back to take care of Lana and he'd just found out the Lex's dad was in hospital. Life was crappy.  
  
Clark made his way over to Lex's room and cracked the door open.  
  
"Come in, Clark." Lex offered, sitting up in his hospital bed. "I'm awake, but with the amount of drugs those people gave me I won't be very good company."  
  
"How are you doing?" Clark asked. He was still embarrassed about accusing Lex last night.  
  
"I'm fine, how's Chloe?" Lex asked a little too quickly.  
  
"They won't let me see her yet." Clark paused, he wasn't ready for a confrontation with her just yet anyway. "I'm sorry about what I said last night It's just that-"  
  
"You don't need to explain it to me Clark, Chloe's your friend and you were worried about her... I understand that."  
  
"You're also my friend, Lex, and I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. I really feel stupid about doing that." Clark said in one breath before collapsing into a seat opposite the bed. He closed his eyes and laid his head back.  
  
"You didn't get any sleep last night, did you Kent?" Lex asked  
  
" I went looking for Lana, and brought her back to the hospital. Then I called my parents to make sure they were alright, but there was no answer, so I went home to check on them. When I finally got back to the dance Pete said Chloe had gone off in a fit of rage. I called her home, and her cell, but there was no answer. Pete lent me his car and I started driving around, looking for her... so to answer your question, no, I didn't get any sleep."  
  
Lex shook his head. Clarks need to protect everyone was admirable. crazy, but admirable. "It's amazing close you came to severe storm and yet you don't have a scratch."  
  
Clark looked at him directly, "Well, I guess I was really fortunate, Lex."  
  
"That you were," There was an uncomfortable pause.  
  
"I heard about your father, is he okay? Is he in this hospital?"  
  
"No, he was flown to Metropolis about two hours ago, he was very badly injured. The specialists needed to take a look at him." Lex sighed, he should have acted sooner. even if his father didn't deserve it.  
  
"You couldn't have done anything for him, Lex. The storm was just too violent."  
  
"Maybe you're right," He didn't believe it though.  
  
Clark got up, "I'm going to go check on Chloe... I hope she can forgive me about the dance."  
  
"If I know anything about Chloe she already has," Lex said, smiling to himself.  
  
Clark was caught off guard by Lex's softening towards Chole. Just before stepping out the door, Clark turned around.  
  
"Lex? I need to know something."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Did anything... did anything happen last night between you and Chloe that I need to know about?"  
  
"No, Clark."  
  
Clark nodded before leaving the room and walking down the passage.  
  
"Nothing you need to know about..."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Please Review:) Don't worry, Michael is nobody sinister. 


	6. Teddy Bear

Brace yourselves, it's a long chapter, I tried to find a place to split it up, but I failed miserably,lol  
  
Chapter 6: Teddy bear  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"I'm fine, I told you, there was a bunny, I collided into Lex, we spent the night in my car. End of story." Chloe explained for the fifth time.  
  
"So you decided to hit the porsche instead of the bunny?" Clark said grinning.  
  
"It wasn't like I had a couple of hours to ponder about the situation before reacting."  
  
"I'm really glad that you're okay, I needed to speak to you. about the dance..." Clark began.  
  
"I really don't want to talk about it." Chloe said groaning. She knew she was giving Clark a hard time, but she reserved the right to be mad at him.  
  
"We have to talk about it. I need to apologize and tell you how sorry I am and... uh... about what almost happened on the dance floor..."  
  
"I think we both realise that we're better off as friends, Clark. I know that you're in love with Lana."  
  
"Why does everyone keep saying that!? I'm not in love with her! Besides, Whitney's bus never made it out of Metropolis. It had to stay because of the weather, then Whitney heard about Lana and, well... he's back. Not that I mind, Lana needs him now," His eyes trailed off in a distant look.  
  
Chloe rolled her eyes, "Clark, I'm your friend, and I'm going to help you," It was about time Clark woke up to the reality of his situation.  
  
"We're going to play a little game now... don't argue. I'm going to give you a phrase and you have to say the first word that comes into your head, okay?"  
  
Clark nodded.  
  
"Good... okay: Don't the drink milk from the bottle,"  
  
"Mom."  
  
"Fishing trips are fun."  
  
"Dad."  
  
"The best reporter in Smallville,"  
  
"Chloe,"  
  
"Richest guy in Smallville."  
  
"Lex."  
  
"The woman you love."  
  
"Lana-" Clark paused, "dammit!"  
  
"My work here is done..." Chloe said smiling to herself.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Lex changed into a new casual suit and immediately felt like the person he was. Hospital gowns didn't do much for a guy's ego. He went over to the hospital's front desk and picked up the sunflowers he'd had delivered. Chloe better be awake, he was sure she'd appreciate the friendly gesture. That's all that it was. A friendly gesture.  
  
Clark paused, his mind rambled on quickly. He loved Lana. He loved Lana! "Chloe! I love Lana!" he said with a huge smile.  
  
"Yes Clark, I know." Chloe said laughing as Clark gave her a bone-crushing hug.  
  
Lex glanced the hospital room's window and almost dropped the flowers. Clark had Chloe wrapped in a huge embrace.  
  
Clark said goodbye to Chloe and quickly exited. He had to find Lana. Just as he turned to leave, he saw Lex.  
  
"Lex!"  
  
"Hey, Clark," he replied with a less that enthusiastic smile.  
  
Clark didn't notice though. "I love Lana!"  
  
"Come again?"  
  
"I love Lana!" Clark repeated with a faraway look in his eyes.  
  
"You figured this out... now?" Lex asked confused.  
  
"Yeah, Chloe made me realise what I felt for Lana was true love! I have to tell her, now!"  
  
"A word of advice, Clark. Bring her flowers."  
  
Clark nodded and headed down the passage, "Thanks Lex!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
There was a quiet knock on the door Chloe shut her eyes and pretended to be asleep. She didn't want to see another nurse or doctor again.  
  
Lex stepped into the room and saw Chloe sound asleep. Damn, he'd have to come back a little later. He found a glass of water and started placing the flower stems inside.  
  
Chloe carefully opened one eye and realised who her visitor was.  
  
"LEX!?"  
  
He jumped at the sudden burst of her voice and water splashed onto his shirt. With a weak smile Lex looked at Chloe, "You're awake."  
  
Chloe winced at the sight of Lex, then groaned, covering her head with the blanket. The memory of screaming like a maniac when she woke up in the car with him caught up to her. She thought she'd die of embarrassment.  
  
"Hey Chloe? You under there?" Lex asked trying to wipe of the excess water from his shirt. He was getting used to acting like a moron when Chloe was around.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Chloe's muffled voice asked from beneath the covers. Despite her she still looked terrible.  
  
"I... uh, just came to see how you were doing." Lex said slowly. She wasn't upset about seeing him. was she?  
  
Chloe sighed. He was the last person... and the only person she wanted to be around right now.  
  
Lex playfully tugged on the blanket covering her face, but Chloe snapped back. "Go away!"  
  
"Oh... I."Lex stepped away, maybe she just feel like seeing him after last night. "I'm sorry, I'll leave... see you around Chloe." Lex said heading for the door.  
  
Chloe peeked out from under the blanket and watched in horror at Lex's retreating figure, "Wait! Come back! Where do you think you're going?"  
  
"You told me to leave... remember? Are you sure the nurse gave you the right combination of drugs??"  
  
"I didn't mean it!" Chloe said, as if he should have realised it sooner.  
  
"Do you always say things you don't mean?" Lex asked, sitting opposite her on the bed. He placed a hand on either end of the bed beside her.  
  
"No..."  
  
"Good. Now tell me why you have you're underneath a huge blanket where I can't see you."  
  
"I-I don't want to see you, because then I'll just remember last night and I'll feel like an idiot. I'm really sorry about screaming when I woke up by the way." Chloe explained.  
  
"You have nothing to be sorry for. You were surprised, and frightened; you acted on your impulses." he paused, and waited for her to pull the blanket off herself, but she didn't, "Is there anything else?"  
  
"Yeah... kinda. I'm not wearing any makeup, my hair is out of place and I'm wearing a less than flattering hospital gown." She said, thankful that Lex couldn't see her blush.  
  
Lex smiled and pulled the blanket off her face slowly, "Chloe... I think you look..."  
  
Chloe held her breath as the remainder of the blanket fell off.  
  
"...waaay better than you did last night." Lex said grinning. His hand caught Chloe's before she could punch his arm. He held on to it and leaned a little closer to her.  
  
"I need to ask you something," Lex said seriously.  
  
"Yeah?" Chloe whispered.  
  
"Who's Michael?"  
  
Chloe pulled her hand away from Lex, "What do you know about Michael?" she said, frowning.  
  
"Well... when I woke up in the car, you were kind of... lying on me, then you kept calling for Michael and, well... you thought my hand was this Michael guy and you were very, uh. unaffectionate." Lex explained uncomfortably.  
  
Chloe was blushing profusely and could barely form words, "I-It's a long story." She was not prepared to tell Lex the truth, it was just too awkward.  
  
"I'm not busy right now... tell me about it." If he didn't find out who this guy was he'd going to explode.  
  
"It's just... personal... very personal." Chloe said uncomfortably.  
  
Lex suddenly realised what she meant. "Oh! So um... Michael was your, um... first?"  
  
"What!?" Chloe yelped, "No!"  
  
Lex grew more confused, "What? Is he some crush you have in school? Tell me, dammit!"  
  
"He's my teddy bear!" Chloe admitted loudly.  
  
Lex paused, "Is that a nickname you gave him?"  
  
"No, Lex." Chloe sighed, looking down at her hands, thoroughly humiliated. "Michael is a stuffed toy that I've had since forever. It's just that holding him makes me feel safe, it helps me sleep..."  
  
Chloe paused and waited for Lex to start laughing. Instead he sighed in relief.  
  
"Thank God! I was so worried that you... well... you know..." Lex immediately regretted saying that.  
  
"Yeah, It would have been really scary for you if I was all over you, but thinking of another guy at the same time. But I just thought you were my teddy, promise." Chloe explained quickly.  
  
"Trust me, I was feeling a whole lot of things, but scared wasn't one of them." Lex said, slowly leaning in towards Chloe. He felt like kissing her. he needed to.  
  
Chloe smiled and found herself moving towards him too...  
  
There was a sudden sharp knock on the door and Lex and Chloe spit apart like they had been shocked.  
  
A tall man hurried into the room, "Chloe? Honey? I'm so sorry I took so long to get here but-" Gabe Sullivan paused when he saw Lex.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Please review! 


	7. Physical Activities

Chapter 7: Physical Activities  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chloe cleared her throat and tried to act as casual as possible "Uh, Dad... I had a visitor-"  
  
"Mr Luthor." Chloe's father stated, narrowing his eyes.  
  
"Good morning, Mr Sullivan," Lex started, he was wise enough not to extend his hand out to the man. He liked the thought of walking out of the room alive.  
  
Lex backed towards the door, "I just came to check on-"  
  
"How dare you even come near her after what you did?"  
  
"Dad it wasn't his fault I-"  
  
"It's not enough that you put hundreds of people out of work, but you crashed into my daughter, and almost killed her? Where did you two spend the night?"  
  
Lex remained calm, he knew how to rationalize with people, it was part of his job. "Firstly, I'm going to reopen the plant as soon as possible," He noticed the other man's anger falter.  
  
Lex was confidant he could talk himself out of any situation. "Secondly, I didn't do anything to Chloe. We spent the night in her car, but I assure you sir, that nothing happened. We just slept together and-"  
  
"You what!?" Chloe's father demanded.  
  
Lex mentally kicked himself, he'd been doing so well. Chloe stood behind her father and mouthed the words *Run* to Lex.  
  
The man stepped towards Lex. "I don't care if you have all the money in the world. If you ever touch, look or even *think* about my daughter again I'm going to-"  
  
"Wow, look at the time!" Lex said hurriedly, "I'm late for that meeting about that uh... thing that I have to do. Goodbye sir." He said retreating. Chloe and her father needed time alone, he knew she would clear the whole mess up, but that still wouldn't mask the resentment her father had for him.  
  
Mr Sullivan was just another reason why he had to bury those dangerously growing feelings he'd been having for Chloe...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"I want to know exactly what happened to you last night, and I want to know now." The anxious father began.  
  
"Dad, nothing happened between us," Chloe said frustrated, she couldn't believe she was having this conversation with her father.  
  
"Honey, I understand if you feel uncomfortable talking about this and I realise that I've never talked to you about things like this before but... I know that you've come to that age where you might have certain urges, and they might be a little confusing."  
  
Chloe's eyes widened in horror.  
  
"I'd like to talk to you about... relationships. Sometimes men and woman have intense feelings for each other, which might result in some... physical activities.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chloe woke up and stretched lazily. It had been a few days since she'd left the hospital. The Daily Planet had called the day after the accident and said that due to her hospitalisation, her summer internship had been passed on to somebody else. A great way to add to the physical pain. She'd been heartbroken about the internship, but hadn't let it show. Her dad had left for Metropolis that morning for a meeting, and she was left all alone in her home... or not. As she opened her eyes, she was greeted by a huge smile.  
  
"Clark! What the hell are you doing here?" Chloe asked sitting up and hitting him with her pillow. He grinned at her.  
  
"It's about time you woke up, look, I brought chocolate! I know you were down about loosing the internship and I wanted to cheer you up," he said throwing the box over to her.  
  
"Couldn't you do this when I was awake? How did you get in anyway?" Chloe said trying to pry the box open.  
  
"I came in through the window, the door was locked."  
  
"Yeah, I haven't mastered the art of using a doorbell either," Chloe said rolling her eyes. Clark knew not to talk to her before she'd had her caffeine fix.  
  
"Anyway, so why are you really here? Don't tell me it was just a visit, I know something's going on." She stated, giving up on trying to open the box of chocolates.  
  
Clark grabbed the box and easily ripped the cover off, handing them back to her.  
  
"I have something to tell you. I tried not to say anything because you were still pissed off about the loosing the internship."  
  
Clark Kent, prince of tact strikes again. "Go on." Chloe prompted, she was in no mood to play games, the coffee flavoured chocolate she found was missing an essential ingredient. Caffeine.  
  
Clarks smile widened, "Well. I've been wanting to tell everyone about this for ages, but I just needed to find the right time to-"  
  
"You're not gay are you?" Chloe asked, faking horror.  
  
"No!" he cried, he just had to come out and say it. "I asked Lana out and she said yes!"  
  
"Well it's about time. I was growing old from the waiting," Chloe said searching for another coffee flavoured chocolate. It was great to see Clark this excited. Even though she still felt weird about the whole situation, she was happy for her friend.  
  
"So what happened?" Chloe asked smiling a little. She would love to hear how Clark managed to form a sentence with the word 'date' in it around Lana.  
  
"I just told you what happened," Clark said confused. "I asked her out and she said yes."  
  
Chloe sighed. Males were so inarticulate; she'd have to get the whole story from Lana...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Lex sat at the Talon sipping his steaming mug of coffee, pretending to read about the stock market. He wondered why he was there. The coffee was pretty good, but he had his own imported coffee beans at home anyway. He paused his train of thought. Imported coffee beans? No wonder he couldn't get a date. Just then he saw a small figure burst through the door, commanding attention. Chloe. His eyes followed her, hoping that she'd see him, but he still wanted to remain attractively aloof.  
  
Lex looked back at his newspaper again just as she turned around. Chloe spotted him sitting at a table. Should she go over to him? It wasn't like he'd ever made the effort to see her after that morning in the hospital.  
  
Lex noticed Chloe's indecision, "Chloe!" he called before she could walk away, "You weren't going to leave without having some coffee with me were you?" he asked offhandedly.  
  
Chloe smiled, "I just figured you were avoiding me since I seem to become accident prone around you." she said sitting down, hanging her jacket behind her seat. She tried not to notice how good he looked in his dark blue shirt.  
  
"Actually I've been avoiding you since your father told me to," Lex replied with a half smile.  
  
"I'm sorry he lost his temper the other day at the hospital, but I explained everything to him, he feels embarrassed about what yelling at you." She saw Lex's smile widen, "Don't get me wrong though, he still thinks you're a spoiled rich jerk."  
  
"And what do you think of me?" he asked leaning back in his chair. He felt their knees make contact under the table, but neither moved.  
  
Chloe thought for a second, "I think people underestimate you, they figure you live in the shadow of your father, but I think that you're perfectly capable of doing whatever you set your mind to." she looked up at Lex's self-satisfied smirk. "I still think you're a spoiled rich jerk though," she ended, quickly.  
  
Lex laughed, "Nice to know my reputation remains intact..." he saw her smile brighten up her face. Suddenly, he knew he had to say something.  
  
"You know when your father told me never to think about you?" he began looking directly into her eyes.  
  
"Y-yeah?" Chloe asked. She wasn't exactly certain where Lex was heading with this.  
  
"Well I haven't exactly respected his wishes." Lex let the words slip out into the open for Chloe to hear.  
  
"Oh." Chloe said, pausing. What the hell was she supposed to make of that statement? Did that mean he was thinking about her in an intimate way or he was having nightmares about her destroying his precious cars?  
  
Lex cleared his throat, immediately embarrassed. He knew he shouldn't have said anything, "I'm sorry.Forget I said anything."  
  
"No." Chloe said, "I mean. I also- I've been thinking about you too, but it's just that my father doesn't really want me to be your, um.. friend." Chloe ended, hoping that he'd tell her that his thoughts for her weren't exactly platonic. The last thing she needed was another guy who was 'just a friend'.  
  
Lex groaned inwardly. Chloe thought he was trying to be another one of her male buddies who she hung out with. That was just not his style.  
  
"I know that your dad isn't my biggest fan. There are only about a handful of people in Smallville who'd give me a hand if I were hanging off the edge of a cliff."  
  
"You know people would like you a whole lot more if they knew you. You should let the Daily Planet do a piece about the real Lex Luthor..." Chloe stated, her mind filling up with fantasies about the articles lay out and design. She'd totally missed out on the opportunity though.  
  
"No way!" Lex stated, then noted the sparkle in her eye when she'd mentioned the paper. "I doubt there's a reporter brave enough to start pumping me for information." He mentioned offhandedly.  
  
"I would love to pump you!" Chloe said loudly, then turned a dark shade of pink as heads turned to their table. Did she just say that out loud?  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Review Please : - ) 


	8. Hot Chocolate that got caught in the cro...

Chapter 8: Hot Chocolate that got caught in the cross fire  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chloe literally shrivelled under the looks from the tables around her.  
  
Lex enjoyed her horror for a few seconds longer, then decided to rescue her, "You're right Miss Sullivan, many people love to pump our middle eastern oil wells dry. It's what keeps investors happy," he said clearly, but not too loudly. His recovery had turned away the nosy glances, but it hadn't returned Chloe to her usual colour.  
  
Lex's voice turned low, "What was that you were saying about pumping me Miss Sullivan?" he asked inquiringly.  
  
Chloe stepped on his expensive shoe beneath the table. "Shut up!" she said, holding back a grin. Her little outburst had been funny, but she wasn't willing to admit it.  
  
Lex withdrew his foot from her evil heels, with a hurt expression "I thought our relationship had gone past the point of physical abuse."  
  
Chloe rolled her eyes then decided to make herself more comfortable. She grabbed the paper that lay on the table and reached for Lex's coffee.  
  
"Should I fetch you your slippers and a cigar?" Lex asked raising an eyebrow.  
  
Chloe ignored him and sniffed the warm scent of the drink, "Irish coffee is my favourite." she said sipping delicately.  
  
"Mine too..." Lex confessed, he liked the fact that Chloe was drinking out of his mug, in some strange way it made her seem closer to him. Just then, he noticed Chloe's face drop into a sad expression while she read the paper.  
  
"Hey, what's the matter? Is it the coffee? Is the stock market doing bad? " Lex asked frowning. Her bright eyes were downcast and her playful smile vanished.  
  
"It's nothing, the coffee is yummy, and I have no clue about the stock market." she said reaching back for another sip, but Lex gently pulled it away from her.  
  
"No more Irish until you tell me what's wrong."  
  
Chloe sighed, "Look at this." She said, holding the paper up to his face.  
  
Lex read the tiny writing aloud, "Daily Planet student internship awarded to Bradford Norton." Lex pulled down the paper that separated them, "What's wrong Chloe? Jealous of a little competition?"  
  
"There was never any competition. That internship was mine, but when they found out about the accident and that I couldn't make it to Metropolis for at least a week, they gave the internship to *Brad*..." she scrunched the newspaper in her hands, a little frustrated.  
  
"Hey. don't take you anger out on the innocent newspaper," Lex said. He was genuinely sad for her. She looked so crushed, but that attitude wasn't going to get her anywhere.  
  
"Well, Chloe, there's no use sulking about it, you'll just have to try harder for next summer and then you can go kick the competition's ass." he stated.  
  
"Wow... you're not into the comforting subtlety are you?" Chloe said with a slight smile.  
  
"You don't need sympathy, Chloe, you need direction."  
  
"You sound like a recruiting poster for the Navy."  
  
"Actually I prefer the air force. More speed, less sea sickness."  
  
Chloe grinned, but then gave thought to what Lex had said. He was right. All the sympathy she'd been getting from people was wearing thin, it wasn't her style to sit around and mope.  
  
"If you want to I could make a phone call..."  
  
"No way! I'm not going to get my millionaire friend to call the Daily Planet and get the internship for me. That's not going to happen." Chloe said with an enforcing look.  
  
"Actually, I was going to suggest calling a hit-man to take Mr Norton out of the picture," Lex said with half a smile, "By the way... did you just call me your friend?" He grinned at her playfully.  
  
"Well, we are friends now, aren't we?" Chloe asked a little embarrassed. "I mean I destroyed your car, woke up on top of you and injured you up multiple times... In some weird way, that kinda makes us friends."  
  
Lex paused, looking at her. Who would have thought? Lex Luthor, best friends with a reporter...  
  
"Of course, I know you've got the whole rich playboy image to uphold and having me as a friend would cramp your style-"  
  
"If I was worried about cramping my style I wouldn't be friends with Clark."  
  
"Ouch!" Chloe said grinning.  
  
Lex scowled, "Sorry, that came out wrong. What I was trying to say was that I'd be honoured to be your friend, Chloe Sullivan."  
  
"Thank you." Chloe said smiling at him. His features softened towards her, and she found herself gazing at him. The once cold and steely eyes now seemed kind and compassionate. She was friends with Lex Luthor? The way things were shaping up being *just friends* was the last thing she wanted...  
  
Lex suddenly had a thought, "So I suggest we celebrate our new-found friendship, what do you say?"  
  
"I love celebrating!"  
  
"What are we celebrating?" Clark's large frame came into view next to them.  
  
"Clark...hey." Lex said. The boy had real bad timing.  
  
"Pull up a chair," Chloe invited, a little disappointed that Clark had ruined the moment. What had Lex meant anyway?  
  
"So what were you guys talking about?" Clark asked again. He didn't want to pry, but seeing them sitting alone at the table alone had triggered a warning in his head... it was probably nothing though.  
  
"Lex and I are friends." Chloe stated. "We'd just decided to celebrate."  
  
"Oh... okay." Clark stated a little confused. "Weren't you friends before?"  
  
"Well... yeah... but now it's official." Chloe said smiling.  
  
"That's right," Lex agreed, "We're thinking of putting up banners and making a website about it." he stopped when he saw Clarks shocked expression, "It was a joke, Clark... Joke? A phrase used to evoke laughter or amusement?"  
  
"When did you become Mr Dictionary?" Chloe said wryly.  
  
"I did actually learn something on the odd occasion that I went to school."  
  
Chloe smirked at Lex then turned to face Clark who was opposite her, "Is Lana taking her break now?"  
  
"Yeah," Clark said a little shyly. His thoughts immediately fixated on Lana... and her beautiful eye's and her hair and her-  
  
"Earth to Clark?" Chloe asked. She rolled her eyes to Lex who gave a small chuckle.  
  
Just then Lana walked up to their table with a few drinks, "Hey guys," she said, planting a kiss on Clark's lips before sitting down.  
  
"How things have changed," Lex commented. He studied Chloe's face for a hint of jealousy. A shadow of doubt passed over her features but it was replaced by a genuine smile. Lex laid back in his seat, satisfied. Chloe was over farm boy for good.  
  
"I hope I got your usual drinks right, if I didn't just drink them anyway, I've been running around the whole day and I don't think I can move another muscle." Lana said, smiling and pulling up a seat.  
  
"Are you okay?" Clark asked concerned, hanging an arm over her chair.  
  
"I'll be fine... now that *you're* here Clark."  
  
"I'll always be here."  
  
"I know..."  
  
Lex made a face at Chloe who erupted in laughter. The scene between Clark and Lana was so corny... they were perfect for each other.  
  
"What's so funny?" Lana asked Chloe innocently.  
  
"Uh, nothing..." Chloe responded.  
  
Clark grabbed a cup of mocha and glanced at Lex and Chloe. Something was different, but he couldn't put his finger on it... He dismissed the thought and turned to Lana to talk about summer plans.  
  
Lex and Chloe eyed each other. There was only one cup of Irish Coffee on the table... and only one was worthy of it. Lex planted his hands at the edge of the table and Chloe mirrored him.  
  
"You don't have a chance. Back down now and I'll save you the indignity of loosing," Lex said seriously.  
  
"I never loose, and what kind of a man drinks Irish coffee anyway? Are you gay?"  
  
"Using petty insults are we? They're not going to work on me, I've taken over companies with a single phone call... I think I can handle this little Irish conflict."  
  
"You've never gone up against Chloe Sullivan before; you don't have a chance. Back down now, I'll give you a free sugar sachet." Chloe said narrowing her eyes.  
  
"Bargaining are we? Do I sense some insecurity? Give up, or the hot chocolate might be caught in the crossfire... you wouldn't want that, would you?"  
  
"It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make."  
  
Lana cleared her throat, "What are you two talking about?" she asked looking between Lex and Chloe.  
  
"War." they said together. Lana nodded and turned her attention back to Clark.  
  
Chloe leaned forward, making sure that Lana and Clark weren't listening, "Lex?" she said huskily, "Have I ever told you how good you look in those dark suits that you always wear? How you undo just those top few buttons of your shirt." Chloe's mind was whirling from the closeness of their faces, but she knew her plan was working.  
  
Lex already knew what she was up to, but responded to her advances anyway... right now the last thing on his mind was coffee.  
  
Chloe saw her opportunity and seized it, grabbing the cup. "I win!" She exclaimed, making Lana and Clark jump.  
  
"You cheated!" Lex accused as he tried to regain his composure and think about something other than how close he'd been to her. He saw Chloe's lips curl in delight as she sniffed the drink.  
  
"Hmmm," she murmured taking a sip, then her face contorted. "This isn't Irish Coffee!"  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry," Lana said. "I drank the Irish because I thought you two were fighting over the hot chocolate."  
  
Lex groaned. "All that effort and the deal still went sour."  
  
Chloe giggled, causing Clark to choke on his coffee. Had Chloe just giggled at Lex? Had Chloe ever giggled in her life?  
  
Clark's confused expression mirrored Lana's own, "Chloe?" Lana began, "Do you think you could come with me for a minute?"  
  
"Why? What's up?" she asked confused.  
  
"I just uh... need to powder my nose." Lana said. She got up and pulled Chloe with her.  
  
"What was that about?" Clark asked looking at the two retreating figures.  
  
"Female jargon, Clark. *Powder my nose* means *we have to talk about boys*"  
  
"Ohhh... so what does *I have an early morning tomorrow* mean?"  
  
"That means that the date is going terribly and she wants to leave as soon as possible."  
  
"Wow... what about *I need to go to the little ladies room*?"  
  
"That just means she needs to go to the little ladies room, Clark."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Please Review! Thanks to everyone who does review! It's great to know that people read this fic, and it's even better when I find out that you like it : ) 


	9. There's pool and there's *pool*

Chapter 9: There's pool and there's *pool*  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Come on, spill."  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about."  
  
"There's no use denying it, it's written all over your face, Chloe."  
  
"In what language...? Because I don't speak Lana."  
  
"You have a thing for him!"  
  
"I don't have a thing ...and if I did, it wouldn't be for him!"  
  
pause  
  
"So what if I do like him?"  
  
"Then I'd say you're insane."  
  
"Mentally unstable or just plain insane?"  
  
"Just plane insane, Chloe."  
  
"Oh..."  
  
"I know you find Lex attractive."  
  
"Well of course I do, I'm insane, not blind!"  
  
"Ah ha!"  
  
"Girls think Lex is hot! Don't you read the stuff written about him in the girl's bathroom!  
  
"I didn't know you were into such fascinating literature, Chloe."  
  
"Hey... didn't I notice a huge heart drawn on the door with a Lana for Cla- "  
  
"I didn't write that!"  
  
"Yeah, it must have been the other Lana and Clark who go to our school."  
  
"Okay, fine. I wrote it, but he's just so hot! The way he moves his-"  
  
"Woah, too much information there, Lana.  
  
"Sorry. What were we talking about?"  
  
"Girls love Lex... some guys too."  
  
"Not all girls."  
  
"Tell me you don't find him... intriguing in a dark and yummy kind of way?"  
  
"Well... I wouldn't say yummy."  
  
"Juicy?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Delicious?"  
  
"Delicious is a good word, but I like separating the worlds of food and men... anyway I'm with Clark now... I'm not allowed to think about stuff like that."  
  
"Clark is more of a cuddle-me guy,"  
  
"Like a teddy bear,"  
  
"Like a giant, teddy bear."  
  
"Like a giant supermodel teddy bear."  
  
"Giant supermodel teddy bear Clark... interesting."  
  
"Hey! You can't think those thoughts!"  
  
"Sorry, Lana... if it's any consolation, I find Lex more alluring than Clark."  
  
"Thanks... I think,"  
  
"Don't mention it... ever. Especially not to Lex."  
  
"I still don't understand why you like him though... this doesn't have anything to do with the plant reopening, does it?"  
  
"Damn, you discovered my secret! Lex said if I slept with him, he'd reopen the plant and give my dad a raise.  
  
pause  
  
"Breathe, Lana, it was a joke."  
  
"It wasn't very funny."  
  
"You want funny? Watch Jamie Kennedy."  
  
"He's good isn't he? His hair is all floppy and cute and- ugh. We were talking about Lex."  
  
"Lex doesn't have cute and floppy hair."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Oh, okay, I was just clearing that up."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"I know you're wondering about me and Chloe."  
  
pause  
  
"I was going to subtly work it into the conversation between organic produce and the stock market... but yeah, I was wondering."  
  
"Nothing's going on, Clark."  
  
"Oh... well that's good to know, Lex."  
  
pause  
  
"Yep... I'm glad we had this deep conversation."  
  
"Me too."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"So you two are friends."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"This isn't about Clark, is it?"  
  
"What if it was? Would you stop seeing him?"  
  
"I...I..."  
  
"Another one of those little things I call jokes, Lana."  
  
"Whew! Because I wouldn't have given him up anyway."  
  
"Glad to hear it."  
  
"I sometimes wish I could understand how this whole love thing works."  
  
"Well, you don't expect *me* to clear it up for you? My best friends are Clark and Pete, what do I know?"  
  
"It's just that sometimes guys just don't understand..."  
  
I'd rather be at home with my nail polish than on a date with a guy who doesn't understand me."  
  
"Well... what kind of nail polish are we talking about here?"  
  
"The one that smells of bubble gum and has tiny sparkles in it."  
  
"Well there's no way a guy could compete with that."  
  
"Yep... even if he does look stunning without hair."  
  
"Clark has nice hair."  
  
"Yeah, once that lice cleared up in grade nine, it really bounced back."  
  
"Very funny."  
  
pause  
  
"That was a joke, right Chloe?"  
  
"Yes, Lana."  
  
"Good..."  
  
"It actually cleared up in grade 10."  
  
"Chloe!"  
  
"Sorry."  
  
pause  
  
"Back to Lex. Would you ever act upon these feelings you have for him?"  
  
"I don't have feelings for him... I just admire his um... external qualities. I'd never act on any thoughts I might have of him."  
  
"Apart from the thousands of obvious reasons... why not?"  
  
"I'm holding out for a doctor... I was thinking a psychiatrist. Wouldn't that be convenient for my friends and family?"  
  
"Well... I'm glad we had this conversation, Chloe."  
  
"Me too, Lana."  
  
"I wonder what Lex and Clark are talking about?"  
  
"Seeing as how wild and exciting they both are... probably the weather."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~**  
  
"Yeah... it's real sunny outside today, it's been so hot this whole week." Lex said nodding.  
  
"Yeah, and they closed the Smallville pool because they had to clean it out." Clark complained. He couldn't even go down to the lake because it was filled with meteor rocks.  
  
"Why don't you guys stop by for a swim in my pool?" It would be a perfect opportunity to talk to Chloe. That's all he wanted to do. Talk to her. Who was her kidding?  
  
"Sure! That would be great! I'll ask Lana and Chloe. Maybe Pete can come too." Clark said grinning.  
  
"Sure... why not? I'll lock up any weapons or sharp objects just in case." Lex added with a smirk. He saw the two girls heading back to the table.  
  
"Hey Lana, Chloe! Guess what? Lex invited us over for a pool party. You in?"  
  
"Of course!" Lana agreed. She loved swimming... not to mention the sight of Clark in a swimming trunks... ugh, she had to stop with the evil thoughts.  
  
"Sure, I'm in." Chloe stated. She played a pretty good game of pool. There was only that one time when she'd broken the cue stick... but that had been an accident.  
  
"Great." Lex stated. "Meet at my place in an hour."  
  
"Oh, wait! I forgot that my cousin is coming over from Metropolis this afternoon..." Lana said, disappointedly.  
  
"No problem, bring her with." Lex stated. Lana had to be there to keep Clark occupied while he er... talked to Chloe.  
  
"He's a guy, his name's Phillip." Lana corrected. A pool party would be a cool way to introduce him to her friends.  
  
"Sure, whatever." Lex said casually, getting up to leave. One more person to keep Lana and Clark distracted while he got to know a certain reporter a little better. The perfect plan. Not too obvious.  
  
"I better get going too," Chloe said getting up. She only had a few hours to pick out an outfit! Playing pool with Lex would be interesting...  
  
Lex unconsciously took Chloe's jacket from behind her chair and held it for her as she put it on. Clark and Lana caught the quick smile that passed between them.  
  
"I'll see you all soon." Lex said, tossing a few bills onto the table.  
  
Clark watched as Chloe and Lex made their separate ways out of the Talon.  
  
"Just when I think that nothing is going on between them..." Clark began.  
  
"They surprise you," Lana completed.  
  
"I never knew they had gotten so close...I'm just not certain about them anymore..."  
  
"Well... at least one thing's for certain,"  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Lex Luthor is a very good tipper."  
  
"Comes with the territory, I guess. So what's Phillip like?"  
  
"He's actually into journalism... just like Chloe." Lana stated, her mind suddenly filling up with matchmaking ideas.  
  
"That's cool." Clark said, smiling.  
  
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Lana asked. Her cousin might be perfect for Chloe!  
  
"Not unless you were thinking about cleaning out the barn when I get home."  
  
Lana shook her head. She needed more female friends. "I think tonight will be very interesting."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Please review! 


	10. A Whole Set of Greys

Chapter 10: A Whole Set of Greys  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chloe pulled up to the front gate of the Luthor mansion and checked her hair in the rear view mirror for the fiftieth time. They really should make those things larger. How was a girl supposed to get the full image in something this tiny? The security guard gave her a harsh glare before letting her pass.  
  
"Sheesh, like I'm going to assassinate your boss by hacking him to death with my lipstick." Chloe mumbled as she passed through.  
  
For some reason her nerves were in a bundle, but she reminded herself that this was just Lex... her friend. *Hi, this is my friend Lex Luthor*. Nope, that didn't sound right. How on earth did Clark manage it? Then again, Clark probably didn't find Lex so damn attractive.  
  
She looked down at what she was wearing. Tan capri's, a yellow sunflower top and sandals. For a second she considered running home to change into something else, but dismissed the thought and pressed the doorbell. It was just a game of pool...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Lex paced back and forth along the swimming pool in his tracksuit, wondering where the hell Chloe was. He saw Lana, her cousin and Clark splashing around in the pool and sighed. At least some of them could be happy.  
  
Lex jumped when he heard the doorbell, "I think that's Chloe." He yelled across the water.  
  
"Okay, we're not going anywhere!" Clark called out as Lex left. He threw the giant inflatable ball to Philip.  
  
"Lex doesn't really act like a millionaire, does he?" Phillip asked catching the ball and throwing it to Lana.  
  
"Lex is quite... unique; and wait till you meet Chloe, she's really great." Lana said smiling. Operation Matchmaker was underway.  
  
"She sounds like a special girl." Philip stated grinning and heading back down into the water.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Lex walked over to the door, waving the doorman away. He paused briefly before opening the door. Think calm and collected. Think calm and collected.  
  
"Hello, Miss Sullivan." Lex said casually, "Glad you could make it." She looked radiant in her bright colours and open smile, maybe even a little excited.  
  
Chloe cleared her throat, "Sorry for being a little late... I had some stuff to do." she explained. The *stuff* mostly consisted of fixing her hair. She'd finally settled for the elegantly wind-blown look.... at least she hoped it was elegant.  
  
"Usually I hate being kept waiting... but I guess I can overlook it this once, seeing as you're my favourite reporter." Lex said seriously, leaning against the doorframe.  
  
"Wow... seeing as how you hate all reporters, I'll take that as a compliment."  
  
"Well, that's the thing with reporters... you either love them or hate them." Lex said folding his arms.  
  
"Right..." Chloe started, what was Lex trying to say? "So do I need a password or something to get in?" she teased.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"I was just wondering why you haven't invited me in yet."  
  
"Oh! Sorry..." he said moving aside. He smelt her fresh flowery scent as she brushed passed him and tried to supress the pictures her in a swimming costume that flashed through his mind.  
  
"Everybody's inside already." Lex stated, taking off his clothes. If his Nike swimming trunks didn't get Chloe's attention, nothing would.  
  
Chloe stood in shock for a moment. Why was Lex undressing? "Uh... Lex. What are you doing? I thought this was a pool party...?"  
  
"It is," Lex said a little confused. He opened the door to the pool room, "Pool..." he said; then handed her a coke, "Party." He took of the bottom part of the track suite to reveal his red Nike trunks. They worked like a charm, Chloe's expression changed into surprise... but was it an unpleasant surprise?  
  
"Is something wrong, Chloe?" Lex asked. Damn, he should have gone with the Polo sport swimming trunks.  
  
Chloe wanted to crawl under something and hide... this couldn't be happening to her... not now! Not when Lex Luthor was standing in front of her in his trunks. Damn the pool homonym!  
  
"I uh... kind of thought that... uh... you meant pool as in balls and cue sticks, not as in water and swimming costumes." Chloe mumbled, blushing furiously. Maybe this was just a dream. She shut her eyes and reopened them. Nope, not a dream. Lex was still in his trunks.  
  
Lex looked a little confused, then realised what she meant, "Oh! You thought that... oops." he stated. Very suave, now Chloe thought he was an idiot who had communication problems. Would it have killed him to say *swimming* pool?  
  
"Yeah... oops." Chloe echoed. Lex officially thought she was a moron who couldn't understand the english language.  
  
"I'm not a huge fan of swimming anyway..." she began, backing away. She couldn't believe this was happening. Of all the dumb things she'd done. "Maybe I should just go."  
  
"No! Wait, you can't go now?" Lex said quickly. "I can fix this." he stated, grabbing his cell phone. There was no way she was leaving. He'd invited three other people for a damn pool party, when all he really wanted to do was be with *her*.  
  
"It's Lex." he said into the tiny Motorola, "I need you to bring down the pool table from the games room down to the pool room... no, the *pool* table, as in balls and cue sticks... yes, now!"  
  
Chloe looked up at him relaxing a little. He was yelling at the hired help, but she could see that he was doing it all because he wanted her to stay. It actually meant something to him that she was here.  
  
"Don't you want to swim?" Chloe asked glancing at the three figures on the other end of the pool.  
  
"Actually the only reason I did this was because I wanted to see you in a swimming costume." Lex stated seriously.  
  
"Sorry to disappoint you, maybe next time," she replied grinning. "I figured you'd want to spend every second ogling Lana in a swimming costume, anyway."  
  
"Oh... Lana's here?" Lex faked surprise, "I hadn't noticed there was another girl in the room." he smiled wickedly.  
  
"Okay, what's gotten into you?" Chloe said raising an eyebrow. Having Lex making comments like that wasn't helping her self control... especially when he was half naked, standing less than a meter away.  
  
"I'm sorry... It must be the sugar in the coke." He apologized graciously. "Sugar makes me hyper."  
  
"Oh really?" she began.  
  
"Hey Chloe!" Clark called swimming over to her. Lana and Phillip did the same when they saw her.  
  
"Hey guys..." Chloe began. "Where's Pete?"  
  
"He couldn't make it, he said something about going to see Erika." Clark stated, wiping a little water from his eyes.  
  
"Hurry up and jump in, Chloe!" Lana said, swimming up to the edge.  
  
Chloe opened her mouth but Lex cut in, "Chloe and I are going to play pool instead! We find it far more pleasurable,"  
  
Two caretakers carried the table into the room and set it beside the pool. Lex nodded to them and they hurried off.  
  
"Well be right over here playing a game." Chloe said smiling and giving Lex an appreciative look. At least *everyone* wouldn't think she was an idiot. Just Lex... the only one who's opinion she actually cared about right now.  
  
"Okay," Clark shrugged, swimming across to the other end of the pool to grab the blue inflatable ball. It was up to Lana now to introduce Phillip and Chloe; Clark had decided to stay out of the whole thing. Bullets might bounce off his chest, but nothing and nobody escaped Chloe when she got mad. The two would either hit it off, or Chloe would end up injuring Phil.  
  
"Are you sure you won't join us?" Phillip asked Chloe, coming up out of the water like he was born in a shampoo commercial. "I promise I'll making it more pleasurable for you than a game of pool...?" he winked at her, oblivious to the cutting glare Lex threw to him.  
  
Lana smacked Phillip over the head, "I can't take you anywhere, can I?" she turned to Chloe, "This is Phil, my cousin. He goes to school in Metropolis and he's interested in journalism too."  
  
"Oh really?" Chloe knew what Lana was up to, but she wasn't about to make small talk to some guy... even if he did look like Josh Hartnett. Good looks must run in the Lang clan, but subtlety seemed to have skipped Phil's DNA sequence.  
  
"He's also the editor of his school newspaper..." Lana continued, looking up at Chloe from the water.  
  
"Do I get to see a resume?" Chloe asked raising an eyebrow. She didn't like where Lana was going with this.  
  
"You can see whatever you want," Phillip said mischievously.  
  
Lex jaw almost dropped. This wasn't supposed to happen. The cousin was supposed to be just a distraction for Clark and Lana... not a potential date for Chloe! Lex resisted the temptation to pour his coke all over Phillip's disgustingly healthy hair.  
  
"Thanks, Phil, but I think I'm just going to go play some pool." Chloe stated, grabbing Lex's hand and pulling him with her. She needed to get away.  
  
Lex gave Phillip a little smirk before following Chloe. Problem solved. They went over to the table, out of anyone's earshot.  
  
"My life has hit an all time low point," Chloe said groaning.  
  
"Why? What's wrong?" Lex asked, racking the colourful balls.  
  
"What's wrong? You *know* what happening! I'm being set up by Clark Kent and Lana Lang! Am I really that lame?"  
  
"You're not lame, Chloe. Clark and Lana are your friends and they're in love. They're so happy they don't know what to do with themselves, so they figure by setting you up with that guy they're, uh... sharing the love.."  
  
"Sharing the love? Were you born in the sixties or something?" Chloe asked smiling.  
  
"I happen to be only about six years older than you, Chloe. Last time I checked teenage girls found men in their early twenties to be highly attractive."  
  
"Oh yeah? Well how often do you check?" Chloe inquired teasingly.  
  
"Are you accusing me of seducing teenage girls on a regular basis?" he replied in mock horror.  
  
"I don't know. Do you?"  
  
"It's safe to say no. I never have, but lately the thought has crossed my mind," Lex mentioned casually, careful not to make eye contact with her.  
  
Chloe paused. If Lex was trying to say something she wished he'd just come out and say it instead of playing head games. She wasn't used to dealing with that, it had always been black or white with her, but Lex just brought out a whole set of greys into her life.  
  
"Do you want to break?" Lex's voice ended the silence.  
  
"Break what?" Chloe asked, then noticed the table, "Oh! Right... that."  
  
"You don't play much, do you?" Lex asked grinning.  
  
"Not really... what about you?"  
  
"Don't you know? Luthor's are good at everything." He stated seriously.  
  
She rolled her eyes. "So let's play already!"  
  
Chloe enthusiastically snatched a cue stick and pointed the it at the cue ball preparing herself for the shot.  
  
"It might help if you turned the stick around," Lex mentioned offhandedly.  
  
Chloe cleared her throat, "I knew that."  
  
"I'm sure you did... would you like some pointers to uh... refresh that brilliant memory of yours?"  
  
"Nicely put. Offering help to a clueless person, but still letting them retain their dignity."  
  
"Thank you, I've had a lot of practise." Lex said moving closer to her.  
  
Chloe was still aware that the only thing he was wearing were his red swimming trunks, but she tried to ignore the fact his chest was about sixty centimetres away from her, all bare and-  
  
"See anything you like?" Lex asked, playfully.  
  
Chloe turned back to the pool table quickly, blushing. He'd caught her checking him out, that couldn't be a good thing.  
  
Lex thought about letting it slide, but chances like this just never came around that often with Chloe.  
  
"Do you want me to go put something on?" he asked with great concern, trying with difficulty to keep a straight face.  
  
"No!" Chloe said quickly. She wasn't as hormonally charged as the rest of the female population in Smallville. She could be relaxed around a shirtless Lex...  
  
"Are you sure? I don't mind throwing something on." Lex said. His grin threatened to break loose.  
  
"No, really, I like it when you're not wearing anything," Chloe paused, "I meant when you're wearing swimming trunks you look good... not that I was looking at you, because I wasn't because if I-"  
  
"I understand perfectly," Lex said, breaking forth a giant grin. He'd gotten the intended reaction out of her. "Now how about I teach you a few basics to pool?"  
  
Chloe nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Why did Lex have this effect on her? Maybe it was the playfully earnest way he looked at her, like he had this huge secret that only she knew. Only there wasn't a secret, and if there was, nobody had let her in on it.  
  
"Firstly, turn around and point your cue stick," he ordered, leaning very close to her so that they were at the same eye level. He moved his hand over hers, "Loosen your grip a little... relax..."  
  
Chloe swallowed and tried to concentrate, relax and ignore Lex's silky tone. It wasn't an easy task.  
  
"That's good. Now grab the butt." He ordered.  
  
"What?" Chloe squeaked.  
  
"I meant the butt of the cue stick Chloe." Lex said smirking as Chloe glared at him. "Don't blame me, I didn't name the thing."  
  
Chloe ignored him and turned her attention to the shot she was about to make.  
  
"Very good. now just follow through with the shot, not too-"  
  
Chloe struck the ball forcefully and it bounced of the edge of the table and rolled off into the pool.  
  
"...hard," Lex ended his sentence.  
  
Chloe groaned and moved to the edge of the pool. Now she was a non-english speaking, terrible pool-playing idiot. "I'm sorry," she said with a shrug.  
  
"For what? I think you just performed a trick shot." Lex stated with a crooked smile.  
  
Suddenly a tanned and muscled body pulled itself out of the water, brandishing the white little ball.  
  
"Loose something?" Phillip asked grinning at Chloe. "Would anyone mind if I cut in on the game?"  
  
"You play?" Lex asked raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Captain of the Metropolis Senior Pool team. Two years running."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Please review:) oh, and I apologize for all the add placements! They kinda just fell in there. 


	11. Assault With a Cue Stick

Chapter 11: Assault With a Cue Stick  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chloe studied Lex's face for a reaction, but he seemed nonchalant to the fact that Phil was a professional pool player. The confidence etched in his face didn't seem to waver in the slightest. Chloe smiled, maybe Lex had a few tricks up his sleeve... or down his swimming trunks *ugh, naughty thoughts*  
  
Lex met Phil's challenging gaze. Captain of the Metropolis pool team, huh? What were the chances of that happening?  
  
"So are you in or not?" Phil probed. "Don't worry, I'll go easy on you..."  
  
"That won't be necessary," Lex said with a somewhat gracious smile. He was going to loose. He was going to get his ass kicked by some eighteen-year- old poster boy and worst of all, it was going to be done in front of Chloe.  
  
Chloe lounged in one of the poolside chairs. She was pretty certain she could follow the game... and if not, she'd still get a great view of Lex's Nike trunks. As the game began, Chloe's mind soon wandered. It wasn't that it wasn't exciting enough, she just had other things on her mind. She watched Lex's eyes intensify with concentration as he swiftly pocketed the balls. The way he prowled around the table studying each of his options and deftly making decisions... the way he'd look up at her now and again at her and smile. Phil was pretty good too.  
  
Lex figured Chloe was deeply focused on the game. If she was, then she'd know that the chances of him winning were about the same as his father becoming a cocktail waitress. He had to try harder though, he had a burning need to impress her and he didn't handle defeat very well.  
  
The minutes ticked by and Chloe brain started to formulate an epiphany. Lately all she could think about was Lex. Even while watching the Simpsons... and she *always* tuned out to the world when she watched the Simpsons... did that mean something? Was Homer loosing his humor or was she falling for Lex?  
  
"No offence, Lex, but I think you need to brush up on your pool playing skills..." Phil stated sympatheticaly.  
  
Lex raised an eyebrow, determined to hold his head high. "I guess I've been out of the game for too long." he said with an even tone.  
  
"Out of the game? Were you ever *in* the game?" Phil laughed.  
  
"I apologize if my life goes beyond the boundries of highschool and pool games... I happen to have other priorities," Lex said through gritted teeth. Priorities like becoming the Metropolis Pool Team's new sponsor and forcing the players to wear pink spandex uniforms with the LuthorCorp logo on the front...  
  
"I bet Chloe could take this shot for me, and I'd *still* win!" Phil boasted, "Come here, Chloe." he said motioning to her.  
  
"Huh? What?" she asked, waking from her fantasies... er... poderings about Lex. The last thing she felt like doing was playing pool.  
  
"Come here and make this shot..." Phil ordered.  
  
"If I do, will you two stop playing?" Chloe grinned, getting up and taking the cue stick from Phil.  
  
"Of course! The game will end, I'll be the winner, then maybe you and I can go get a cup of tea...?"  
  
Chloe almost laughed. She never trusted a guy who drank tea, "I don't think so... It's kinda late anyway."  
  
Lex breathed a sigh of relief. Just the thought of Chloe and that sleaze bag drinking tea together made his skin crawl.  
  
"Oh, come on," Phil pleaded, moving closer to her, "We could talk about journalism and current affairs... it'll be fun."  
  
"She said no," Lex said, clenching his jaw.  
  
Chloe was a little surprised by Lex's tone, she didn't really understand why he was so worked up. She turned back to Phil, "Current affairs, huh? So what do you think of LuthorCorp's latest rival? I think they're called... Sleaze Industries?"  
  
Lex cracked a smile at Chloe's trick question, but Phil wouldn't fall for that, nobody was that stup-  
  
"Sleaze Industries! I know all about them... I actually did an article on them last week," Phil lied.  
  
"Oh really?" Chloe asked seriously, "Mr Luthor, what do you think about them?"  
  
"Sleaze Industries has always been a primary competetor for LuthorCorp, but we can handle them any day of the week and twice on Sundays," he replied, deepening the trap Chloe had set for Phil.  
  
"Enough about that." Phil stated, grabbing Chloe by the waist. "Lean over and make the shot, keep your eye on the ball and don't focus on anything else."  
  
Chloe stiffened against Phill's touch; the guy was wet and smelled strongly of chlorine. She squirmed slightly as he leaned over her back, with his arms on either side of hers. Noticing Lex in the corner of her eye, she glanced at him. For the first time she actually saw his controlled expression falter... why?  
  
Lex clenched his jaw as he saw Chloe and Phil leaned over together. It become so clear to him. Why wouldn't Chloe be attracted to the eighteen year old pool-playing roporter. The two had so much in common, Phil *wasn't* a somewhat arrogant millionaire with childhood scars and love- issues.  
  
"Now make sure you know where you want the ball to go," Phil whispered into Chloe's ear. His hand moved further down her waist... suddenly Chloe jumped, jerking the cue stick back sharply- directly into Phil's not-so- rock-hard abbs.  
  
"Ugh!" Phil croaked, landing on the floor.  
  
"Oh... I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to do that!" Chloe said half truthfully. Nobody's hands get to wander down there, unless they have her signed approval first. *Do something* she mouthed to Lex.  
  
Lex was still trying to supress a laugh from what Chloe had just done as Phil lay on the floor writhing in pain. He wasn't really hurt; besides, he deserved it.  
  
"I think something is broken..." Phil whined.  
  
"You might be right," Lex stated nodding seriously, "Cue stick accidents are very common and without proper treatment, can be very serious."  
  
Phils eye's widened, "Really?! Do you think I need to go to the hospital?"  
  
"Better be safe than sorry," Chloe agreed. Phil might be Lana's cousin, but he was quite gullible and dense... a lethal combination. "Just lay still... I might have gotten you in the kidneys."  
  
"No! Not my kidneys!" Phil said in horror.  
  
"What happened?" Lana asked clambering out of the pool before heading towards her cousin.  
  
"Minor poolside mishap involving a cue stick." Lex stated emotionless.  
  
"I think I nailed him hard," Chloe admitted, ignoring the look Lex tossed her. It wasn't her fault that the english language was littered with not-so- subtle innuedos.  
  
Clark scrambled out of the pool too, "We should get him to a hospital!" he stated, the hero gene finally kicking in. He and Lana grabbed towels and got dressed hurriedly.  
  
"I *knew* Chloe would end up hurting Phil," Clark hissed quietly to Lana.  
  
"So maybe I was wrong about Phil," Lana whispered back. "But I know this other guy and he would be perf-"  
  
"Lana..." Clark warned.  
  
"Sorry." She apologized. "I'll stay out of it... otherwise there might not be any healthy bachelors left in Smallville or Metropolis."  
  
"I might need x-rays!" Phil called, getting up slowly and pulling on a shirt. He started out the door with help from Clark and Lana, then turned to Chloe again.  
  
"So what about having that drink with me sometime?" he asked with a faux smile.  
  
Lex groaned audibly. Couldn't he take a hint? Chloe had nearly impaled him with a cue stick, didn't that say something nowadays?  
  
Chloe smirked, "Sure, Phil... I'll have that drink with you the day Sleaze Industries take over LuthorCorp, okay?"  
  
Phil looked at her confused, then walked off with Lana and Clark, still hunched over, clutching his abdomen. He glanced at Lana confused, "Do you know of a company called Sleaze Industries?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
There was silence between Chloe and Lex once they were alone. Suddenly the both burst into laughter that echoed through the whole hall. When they finally regained their form, Lex sat down by the side of the pool and turned to Chloe.  
  
"I would have won the game you know," he said seriously.  
  
"Sure.... and I hit Phil with the cue stick by *accident*" Chloe added, as Lex smirked up at her.  
  
"Sit with me for a while?" he asked, reaching out a hand to her.  
  
Chloe accepted the offer, and held onto Lex's hand as she sat down. Neither of them broke contact and their finger began to slowly entwine.  
  
"This was great, Lex." Chloe said tossing him a smile and swirling a feet around in the cool water. Friends held hands, right? It didn't *mean* anything.  
  
"Yeah... I'm glad you decided to stick around. It wouldn't have been as much fun if you hadn't been there." he replied giving her hand a squeeze.  
  
Chloe gulped a little. Friendly hand squeeze... friendly hand squeeze... frien-  
  
"I like you, Chloe." Lex stated looking across the water. There. He'd said it; it was out in the open. It might have sounded a little juvenile, but it was the truth... or at least a diluted version of the truth. He doubted Chloe wanted to hear about the boundless passion he harboured for her  
  
"Oh." Chloe said dumbly. So it wasn't a boundless passion, but she was going to take what she could get.  
  
"I-I like you too Lex. I'm glad we're friends." Chloe smiled, leaning against him a little. She could feel his bare shoulder through her sunflower shirt... sunflower shirt? What had she been thinking? No wonder he didn't think of her as a *woman*.  
  
Lex sighed. Great. Another friend. Just what he needed. He'd confessed his feelings for Chloe and she'd given him a revised version of the let's-be- friends speech. Perfect.  
  
"Hey? Is something wrong?" Chloe asked curling her fingers around his. She'd never do that with Clark or Pete.  
  
"No... everything is the way it should be." Lex said trying to convince himself it was true. "You realise that when you make friends with me you make enemies with about half the Northern hemisphere?" he joked lightly.  
  
Chloe decided to rest her head on Lex's shoulder... in a friendly way. "I don't mind... I know it sounds weird but you make me feel safe, Lex. I like knowing you're there, that I could call and... well, you'd be there."  
  
"I'm not Lassie," Lex stated with a grin. He felt the light weight of her head against his shoulder and the softness of her hair brushing against his cheek.  
  
Chloe remained silent and allowed herself to relax against Lex. Whatever feelings she was mustering for him were definitely not platonic, but there was nothing she could do to suppress them. Lex was no Lassie.  
  
"It's nice to know that you feel that way though... very few people trust me enough to place any confidence in me." Lex sighed, "I'll always be here you know... if you ever need something, or you get sued for assault with a cue stick."  
  
"I'm not a damsel in distress," Chloe stated looking up at him. The longing expression in his eyes made her heart hurt a little. Suddenly she knew she had to leave. If she stayed any longer she would undoubtedly admit certain feelings, which would in turn ruin things between them. She wasn't going to let herself do that.  
  
"I-I have to go," Chloe stuttered getting up, "It's late, my dad will start freaking out."  
  
"Yes... of course," Lex mumbled, getting up too. "Why don't you let me drive you home? It's gotten dark already an-"  
  
"No really... it's fine." Chloe said throwing him a soft smile, "I can manage the drive by myself."  
  
Lex watched miserably as she retreated through the door. He needed some sort of assurance that she wasn't gone for good.  
  
"Chloe, wait!"  
  
"Yeah?" She asked turning back to see his sleek build calling out to her.  
  
"I... I'm going to see you around, right?" Lex asked folding his arms in front of him and frowning.  
  
"You'll definitely see me around, Lex," Chloe called as she slipped out the door.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Please Review!! Sorry for the delay... school started and I just realised how complicated physics is, arg! 


	12. Lana and the Cow

Chapter 12: Lana and the Cow  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Ouch! Careful!"  
  
"Sorry..."  
  
"Do you even know what you're doing, Lex?"  
  
"Trust me, I've done this before... I just need to get a little more comfortable and-"  
  
"You're incompetent, Lex."  
  
"No I'm not! If you have any useful suggestions I suggest you let me know... and I'm not incompetent."  
  
"Try doing it a little harder... it'll never happen if you don't."  
  
"I'm doing it as hard as I can! This isn't as easy as it looks."  
  
"Obviously. Why else would we be here for half an hour on your desk in your office?"  
  
"I suppose you could do better?"  
  
"You just have to push it in slowly and wiggle it then it'll slide-"  
  
"I'm pretty sure I've done this a few more times than you have *Chloe*"  
  
"What makes you so sure *Lex*"  
  
"Well... I can't see this happening to a girl like you too often."  
  
"For your information, I was in exactly the same position with Clark last week."  
  
"With Clark?"  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
"With a desk?"  
  
"Yep... he was much better at it too."  
  
"Oh really? Well sorry if I don't measure up."  
  
"Well... when it comes to things like this, you just can't beat Clark. He did it so fast that we were outta there by the end of lunch."  
  
"I guess I like working slowly."  
  
"Whatever... but we have to leave soon."  
  
"Instead of standing there whining, why don't you help me?"  
  
"Fine! Move over, I'm coming up in front of you."  
  
"No problems here."  
  
"Watch the hands richboy!"  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"On the count of three... One... two... thr-"  
  
A loud crash sounded as Chloe and Lex stumbled away from the table and landed in a tangle of limbs.  
  
"Are you okay?" Lex playfully asked the furious face that was inches away from his.  
  
Chloe quickly grabbed onto a chair for support and hualed herself off the ground. "I'm fine, thank you very much. So did you get it?" she asked trying to regain her composure, which she'd lost the second the walked into his office.  
  
"Yep!" Lex said holding up the small drawer, "I really need to have that desk replaced, those old drawers keep getting stuck." He smiled weakly at Chloe.  
  
"Or you could just leave your car keys in your jacket, like normal people instead of keeping them in a desk that nobody can open," she mumbled, colapsed into the plush seat opposite Lex.  
  
Lex searched through the contents of the drawer then sighed in defeat, "The keys aren't here." he stated.  
  
"You made me help you wrench that drawer out of the desk and the keys weren't even *there*?" Chloe yelled.  
  
"Relax... I'm sure they're around here somwhere..." Lex said apologetically.  
  
"I hate to state the obvious, but I'm sure you have another car lying around the place." Chloe said getting back up and leaning over the desk on her elbows.  
  
"We're not taking another car," Lex argued, searching through the shelves for his keys. "I want to take you to the party in my new Ferrari. That's what friends do."  
  
"I don't know about you, but my other friends don't take me for rides in *their* Ferraris," Chloe mumbled not getting up from the seat.  
  
"I was talking about sharing joys with each other," Lex stated.  
  
"Can't I share the joy of your porsche or the limo?" Chloe sighed watching Lex jump onto a chair to search the high shelves. The evil Chloe within noted how good Lex looked from behind, but good Chloe swept the thoughts away before a blush could rise to her face.  
  
"Besides, isn't this Ferrari like all your other Ferrari's?" she mumbled.  
  
"Are any two coffee's the same?" Lex shot back turning to her with a grin.  
  
Chloe rolled her eyes and joined in the search. If they were going to make it to Clark's not-so-surprise birthday party, they'd have to hurry. She snatched Lex's jacket that lay behind a chair and fumbled through the pockets.  
  
"It's not in my jacket, Chloe. That's obviously the first place I looked." Lex stated, crawling under the table to check on the floor.  
  
Chloe ignored him and went through the pockets, "Cell phone... wallet. loose hundred dollar bills... breath mints... porn video..."  
  
"What!" Lex cried, snapping his head up and swearing when it collided with the bottom of the desk.  
  
Chloe smirked, "Sorry couldn't help myself," she patted down the last pocket and heard a smothered jingle.  
  
"I guess you didn't search properly, because your keys are right here." Chloe said smugly holding up the key ring that hung on her index finger.  
  
Lex glared at her, and quickly crossed the space between them. Years of practise had taught him not to show embarassment, but in front of Chloe he wasn't sure he could control it... he wasn't sure if he could control anything when she was around. He pulled the keys from her, brushing his fingers against hers in the process.  
  
"Well what are we waiting for?" Lex demanded. "Let's get going, the party at the Kent barn isn't going to last all night."  
  
With that, Lex stormed out of the room, Chloe followed him with a laugh.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
"Clark! Hurry! Lana's in danger!" the small blonde girl stuck her head through her friend's room door and watched him jump off his bed and spring to action. "You have to go save her!"  
  
"W-What happened, Chloe!?" Clark asked frantically, he noticed Lex by her side with a sombre expression.  
  
"It's bad news, Clark." Lex sighed, shaking his head. Lying had always come easily to him, and every now and then it came in handy.  
  
Clark's face turned ashen, "What happened to her!?"  
  
"She's in your barn... there was a...um..." Chloe paused. She hadn't really thought that far yet. "An accident."  
  
"What accident!?" Clark bellowed.  
  
Chloe gulped, "there was Lana and a um...a cow and-"  
  
"Lana attacked our cow!" Clark cried.  
  
Chloe thought fast. "No, Kent, work with me here! The cow attacked Lana."  
  
"Lana... was attacked by a cow?" Clark repeated with a dazed yet confused expression on his face.  
  
Chloe mouthed the word *help* to Lex, who seemed to be enjoying her predicament, "Yes..." Lex confirmed, "Lana came to visit you in the barn but I think the cow got jelous or something."  
  
"It happened in the barn." Chloe added, "It was a vicoius, very vicious cow... it had horns and sharp hooves and-"  
  
Before Chloe could finish, Clark rushed out the room, heading out of the house.  
  
Lex turned to Chloe, "Cow...?" he asked shaking his head in mock disappointment.  
  
"Well, sorry if I didn't exactly tweak the story, but it got Clark to the barn, didn't it?" Chloe said, tossing him a sly look before following Clark's trail.  
  
"Chloe Sullivan, you are a bad liar." Lex said grinning. He hung his arm around her shoulders and Chloe slid her arm around his waist.  
  
"Maybe you could teach me sometime, Lex?" she asked laughing. She anjoyed being close to him, and fooling around with him... okay, maybe fooling around was a bad way to put it.  
  
"Gimme a second," Chloe said, pulling away from him and gabbing a small bag that she'd previously dropped outside the door. "I have to change."  
  
Lex sighed, "You don't have to change, you look beautiful."  
  
Chloe gave Lex a suspicious smile, "I'm wearing jeans and a multicoloured shirt. On what planet is that called beautiful?" With that she headed off to the Kent's bathroom, her heart wavering in the slightest at Lex's comment.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Clark burst into the dark barn looking around frantically, "Lana! Lan-"  
  
"Surprise!" A chorus of voices called as Clark's jaw dropped a few inches. If he'd bothered to use his x-ray vision he would have seen this coming seven miles away.  
  
Lana skipped up to Clark and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Happy birthday!"  
  
"I knew you were planning this all along," Clark said blushing and waving to the crowd that filled the barn.  
  
Pete came up behind him and gave him a pat on the back. "Sure you knew, Kent. Nothing gets past you! Anyway... If you see the really big expensive present without the card, it's from me. I must leave you now, there are so many young ladies here requiring my attention,"  
  
"Sure, Pete," Clark grinned as his friend disappeared in the crowd on people.  
  
"You have a certain billionaire to thank for all this," Lana said motioning to the barn.  
  
Clark nodded. The overdone decoration of the barn and the high tech sound system had obviously been Lex's doing. Clark scanned the crowd and saw Lex and Chloe making their way over to him.  
  
"Hey, guys." Clark grinned when they got there, "You really didn't have to do all of this Lex."  
  
Lex shrugged, "You only get one birthday a year Clark, might as well make the most of it. Besides, Chloe did most of the work." he said turning to her. He couldn't take his eyes of her beautifully clad body in blue hipsters and silvery halter. She wore a stunning smile to match.  
  
"We all pitched in," Chloe corrected. "... but yeah, I did most of the work," she admitted offhandedly.  
  
"Do I even know this many people?" Clark asked glancing through the crowd.  
  
Chloe grinned, "Well... I may have accidentally printed off a few hundred flyers and handed them out this afternoon," she admitted. "But it was Lana's idea!"  
  
Lana gave Clark's large frame a hug, "He's worth it." She leaned closer to her boyfriend and they shared a quick kiss.  
  
Clark grinned down at Lana then his face turned to a confused expression, "So there was no cow?" he asked. Lana just laughed and pulled Clark to the makeshift dance floor.  
  
"Clark looks pleased," Lex stated as "Confused, but pleased; and he hasn't even opened his presents yet."  
  
"You know he's not going to accept that truck you bought for him." Chloe said a little louder above the music. The last rays of dusk peeked through the barn door, the darkness was creeping in.  
  
Lex smirked, "Don't worry, I cleared it with his father first. Clark is going to keep that truck even if I have to lock him it it myself."  
  
"Well, a truck is nothing compared to the cell phone I got him. The boy has a girlfriend already, it's about time he kept in touch with the world." Chloe mumbled as she watched the two figures moving together. She couldn't help but feel a little jealous at what Lana and Clark had. Here *she* was with the sexiest man in Smallville and she couldn't even get close to him... or could she?  
  
"Would you like to dance?" Chloe asked suddenly. "It's so dark I can hardly see anything... but everyone else seems to be managing."  
  
Lex looked at her with a silky smile, "Of course." he grabbed her waist with one arm and lead her to the dance floor without missing a beat.  
  
Chloe settled her arms on the sides of Lex's shoulders. She felt his hands slide down her back and rest gently on the curve of her spine. Lex's face brushed through her soft hair as they moved together.  
  
As soon as they'd settled in, the music changed into a slower number. Lex loosened his grip a little. No matter how much he wanted to be near her, the last thing he wanted to do was make Chloe uncomfortable.  
  
"Do you want to stop?" Lex whispered into her ear.  
  
"No." Chloe stated resting her head against his shoulder and letting her eyelids drop a little. As soon as she found the idiot who invented the word friend, she'd beat him up with a baseball bat.  
  
Lex smiled, and pulled her small body closer to his, "Good."  
  
Neither of them said anything as they moved in time to the soft beats. They were drowned by the other bodies dancing alongside them, but they didn't really mind.  
  
"Chloe?" Lex asked looking down at her.  
  
"Yes?" She answered returning his intense gaze.  
  
"I...I... s***!" He swore loudly as somebody slammed into his shoulder, almost knocking him down. He pulled back sharply and turned to see Clark and Lana.  
  
"Watch where you're going, Kent!" Lex said frowning.  
  
"I'm sorry, Lex! I can't see anything in this dark," Clark said apologetically.  
  
"Chloe? Is that you?" Lana asked.  
  
"Yes, it's me." Chloe said, extremely unhappy that Clark had interrupted the mood.  
  
"You're dancing with Lex?" Clark asked. Lana glanced between Chloe and Lex then gave the blonde girl a knowing smile.  
  
Chloe rolled her eyes and Lex stepped in, "Yes, Clark, we were dancing, maybe someday you will learn too," he stated.  
  
Lex couldn't help but feel irritated, it wasn't Clark's fault though. In a flash Lex pulled out his cell phone, "It's me. Find the strobe and laser lights and bring them down to the Kent farm now!" he barked into the small device.  
  
"This place will be brighter than Einstein by the time they get those lights up." Lex said to Clark, "For the time being I suggest you take your date sit down somewhere before you hurt yourselves."  
  
Lana started giggling uncontrollably and Clark gave Lex and Chloe a weak smile before drifting off again.  
  
The corner of Chloe's mouth lifted slightly, "Lex Luthor saves the day. Even if it wasn't very chivalrous."  
  
He smirked down at her, "Sorry, I left the white horse and the armour in the other suit. I swear if Clark and his clumsiness comes anywhere near us again, I might be forced to get a restraining order."  
  
Chloe lifted her arms up his shoulders a little more and smiled, "Forget about it... let's get back to wherever it was that we were."  
  
Even through the dark Lex could make out Chloe's sparkling eyes, "There's no other place I'd rather be."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Please Review! 


	13. Our Chloe

Chapter 13: Our Chloe  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Chloe and Lex lapsed into silence as the music continued. Eventually the technicians arrived bearing an assortment of colourful lights and beams that transformed the barn into a genuine dance floor.  
  
Chloe's sigh of contentment was cut short when she looked over Lex's shoulder and noticed a dark haired prom queen heading their way, armed with a new matchmaker mission.  
  
"Oh no..." Chloe groaned.  
  
Lex frowned and looked down at the girl in his arms, "What's the ma-"  
  
"Chloe! I finally found you..." Lana said, dragging a frazzled blonde boy behind her. Lex reluctantly released Chloe and turned to Lana.  
  
"Is there something you need?" Lex asked, his glare making the boy beside Lana cringe in fear.  
  
"I know I kinda screwed up with Phillip and the pool party, but I think I finally understand your type of guy."  
  
Lex noticed Chloe's struggle to control her frustration and he was equally annoyed at the interruption.  
  
"This is-"  
  
"Chloe is dancing with me at the moment, Lana." Lex ended bluntly before leading Chloe further into the crowd and away from a stunned Lana.  
  
Lana watched them leave and a realization finally started to grow... it seemed so obvious now.  
  
"Thanks," Chloe said, relieved. "I know Lana's only trying to help, but it's starting to get scary."  
  
"Anytime." Lex smirked. He was determined to spend the evening with Chloe, and no adolescent Smallville male was going to get near her.  
  
Chloe smiled up at Lex's eyes as they returned to their dance. This was stupid. She was falling madly in love with a billionaire who could probably have any woman in the world but the truth was that she was beginning to care for Lex intensely. It didn't scare her at all. it just felt good. It all came down to the bottom line though.  
  
"It's impossible." She whispered to herself.  
  
"What's impossible?" Lex asked, brushing his lips through Chloe's soft hair as he felt her sudden uneasiness.  
  
"Uh... It's impossible to dance with so many people around." Chloe said quickly.  
  
Lex paused for a second in thought. "You're right, lets grab a drink and find a seat." he took her hand and led her through the crowd.  
  
They found an empty single couch and they both squashed into it, trying to get comfortable. Eventually they came to an agreement. Chloe sat sideways, her legs propped up over Lex's lap and her upper body hanging over the arm rest. Lex lounged forwards, with an arm resting over the back of the chair.  
  
"You know there are other seats around," Lex said smiling as Chloe adjusted her legs onto his lap. He liked the fact that she was comfortable enough to use him as a footstool, it assured him that she wasn't planning to leave any time soon.  
  
"If there's one thing we have in common, Lex, It's that neither of us take the easy way out." Chloe stated snuggling further into the seat. She was incredibly comfortable, and given the chance she would have spent the entire night in that position.  
  
Just then the music turned down, "Hey everyone get outside! There's cake and pizza!" Pete yelled as loud as he could.  
  
The hungry teens followed the instructions and ebbed through the doors, leaving the barn in a quiet lull.  
  
Chloe grinned but, didn't move, "I guess that means the party's going outside."  
  
Lex gave her half a smile, "Do you want to get cake?"  
  
Chloe shrugged, "It's vanilla, I don't like vanilla cake," she stated.  
  
Lex grimaced and nodded in agreement, "Vanilla cake is a cruel and sick joke."  
  
He felt a slight waver in his chest as Chloe released a small chuckle. They were all alone in a smelly barn, cramped into a sorry excuse for a couch, and the only thing he could focus on was Chloe's smile.  
  
Suddenly lights were cut off and the barn plunged into darkness. Chloe jumped, but Lex hung his arm around her legs reassuringly.  
  
"Relax. They're probably switching to the exterior lights." he said into the darkness.  
  
"Well I can't see anything." Chloe mumbled, extremely aware of Lex's arm resting on her legs. She was glad he couldn't see the effect he was having on her.  
  
"I'd never thought you'd be afraid of a little dark Chloe?" Lex taunted, as not-so-platonic thoughts crossed his mind.  
  
"I'm not scared of anything. I just don't like being deprived of my sight." she stated, waving her arms into the black void in front of her for emphasis. Suddenly the back of her hand collided into something.  
  
"Chloe! Watch where you put those hands!" Lex snapped, as a surprisingly firm hand struck his nose. The girl could be dangerous sometimes.  
  
"I'm sorry," Chloe laughed, resisting the urge to make a snarky comment. "As I said before, I don't like being deprived of an important sense."  
  
Lex remained silent, as a sudden impulse passed through his mind. "You know, you do have other senses..."  
  
Chloe froze when Lex's hand reached over her face in the darkness, almost jabbing her in the eye, but eventually finding a comfortable spot on her cheek. Either Lex was going to talk about how neurons affected senses in the skin or...  
  
Lex had made up his mind. Once he'd made up his mind, he never went back. Never. Slowly he brought his other arm around Chloe's back pulled her to him as his lips eventually found hers.  
  
Tentatively he pulled back when he realised that Chloe wasn't returning the kiss. It was too dark to read the expression on her face, but all signs pointed to the fact that the girl in his arms wasn't at all affected by his advances.  
  
Chloe snapped back to reality when Lex slowly withdrew his hands from her. She shook off the unconsciousness she'd been in during their kiss and decided to take action.  
  
Lex wasn't sure what to do next, "I-I'm sorry Chloe... I-" he was cut off when a small hand grabbed his collar and jerked him back down into a warm, fully accepting kiss.  
  
"Still sorry?" She asked with a hint of nervousness.  
  
"I guess don't have a reason to be anymore," Lex murmured into her lips.  
  
"I never knew you thought of me like *that*." Chloe admitted suddenly.  
  
Lex smiled broadly, "Actually I've been having a hard time thinking of you in any other way."  
  
He let his fingers linger down her neck as she let out an airy breath, "What about you, Chloe? I hate to admit it, but I wasn't sure if you wanted... this."  
  
Chloe let out an involuntary sigh. Her father wasn't exactly going to welcome Lex with open arms and a fruit basket, but he'd eventually come to terms with the idea, "It's complicated Lex, but it just feels so..."  
  
"Good?" he suggested.  
  
"Exactly." Chloe stated. She reached her arms around Lex's shoulders and pushed him down so that his back was against the arm rest.  
  
Lex smiled at the reversal of positions and Chloe's sudden assertiveness, "You know things that feel good aren't necessarily good." he teased, lightly gripping her waist above him.  
  
Chloe rolled her eyes at the man beneath her, "Since when has that been a concern of yours?"  
  
Lex brought his arms around Chloe's back as she leaned down on him for another kiss. Neither could read the other's expression, but both were infinitely happy.  
  
"Good point." he stated, "...but I think you should know that I do care about you, Chloe. A lot." He'd told plenty of girls that he loved them... but he'd never actually cared about anyone so intensely before. It felt good.  
  
Chloe looked down, unable to read his eyes and wondered how she'd ever overlooked the fact that Lex Luthor could be so sincere.  
  
"I know." she said truthfully, resuming their mind-clouding kiss.  
  
Neither noticed the lights snap back on, or the small group that had returned to the barn, watching in shock at the scene playing out on the couch.  
  
"Chloe! What are you doing to Lex?!" Clark cried, unable to move, with Pete, Lana and a few other people mimicking his stance.  
  
The two people on the couch snapped back a few inches at the intrusion. Lex had to let out a muted laugh, that only Chloe could hear. The small girl on top of him shut her eyes and didn't look up to their audience.  
  
"Tell me that Clark's not standing in the doorway watching us?" she whispered harshly.  
  
"If it makes you feel better, Pete, Lana and a few other people are with him." he whispered back before Chloe pulled away from him with a groan.  
  
"Chloe isn't doing anything to me, Clark," Lex stated with a hint of amusement as he propped himself up on an elbow. "I know this must come as a shock to you... and I can't really explain it at the moment."  
  
Clark's mind raced with thoughts. It all started making sense now... the way Chloe and Lex looked at each other all the time...  
  
"Y-you kissed him!" Pete spluttered at Chloe, waking from his astonishment. The remaining party guests quickly shuffled out the door, not wanting to be involved in the bloody battle that was destined to ensue.  
  
"You have excellent observation skills, Pete." Chloe stated dryly. Pete and Clark probably needed an explanation... but not right now. She was a little preoccupied at the moment with a certain billionaire she was half sitting on.  
  
"I knew it!" Lana cried, with a blinding grin.  
  
Clark's jaw dropped as he turned to Lana, "You knew about this?"  
  
"And you didn't tell us?" Pete asked, ganging up on Lana.  
  
"Newsflash people, this doesn't involve you." Chloe said, glancing at Lex, who seemed to be enjoying the scene.  
  
"Chloe's right," Lana said to the two boys in front of her. "Chloe and Lex can do whatever they want, whenever they want to."  
  
"You heard the lady!" Lex said, suddenly descending on Chloe, who let out a delighted shriek as he pushed her back down and started kissing her again.  
  
"We're going to have to buy this couch from the Kents," Chloe said with a smothered voice.  
  
"I'll make Jonathan an offer in the morning." Lex murmured into her mouth.  
  
"But... But..." Pete began, horrified. "It's Chloe! She's... she's..."  
  
"She's our Chloe..." Clark ended weakly.  
  
"Yes, our Chloe!" Pete stated.  
  
Lana rolled her eyes and with a little effort, dragged Pete and Cark away from the barn.  
  
"Well she's Lex's Chloe now."  
  
  
  
The End  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Whew! That was fun to write : ) Thanks to *all* of you who reviewed, I'm going to work on another Chlexy fic soon. 


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